


One Chance

by Anonymous



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dance, Alternate Universe- No Capes, I dunno what else to tag soo.. for now that’s it, Kinda, Multi, Only cause he’s my favourite character, Tim Drake-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2020-01-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 20:28:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21794842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Tim Drake had one chance to get into Gotham Academy of DanceOne chance to prove to his parents that he could do thisOne chance to prove to Bruce Wayne that he deserved that spotOne Chance
Relationships: Tim Drake/Jason Todd
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28
Collections: Anonymous





	1. Chapter 1

Tim pulled out of an over arm stretch , shoulder cracking as he did so. He had his audition for The Gotham Acadamy of Dance (GAD) in two hours and it was his only chance to keep dance in his life. If he didn’t get in his parents were going to _‘Stop wasting money on your little hobby, Timothy’_ this was his chance to prove to them that he could do this.

“Tiiiiimm... earth to Tim” He looked up at the sound of Kon’s voice. His best friend was from Metropolis and was in their best dance school, thanks to nepotism but who was Tim Drake to judge Kon on using his dad’s status in the dance world as a leg up. 

“Tim! C’mon you need to get the routine down!” Kon whined

“Yeah, Yeah okay.” Tim shook out his arms and adjusted his shoes before running to the centre of the room as Kon organised the music 

“Ok,5,6,7,8” 

The music started, and Tim began to dance

* * *

“Okay! That was great, remember you just gotta b-“

“Bend into everything more I know I just didn’t wanna be in danger of stretching anything so close to the audition”

“ fine but hurry uuuup we have to get there come oooon!”

Tim laughed as he got changed into jeans and a hoodie 

“Okay, okay let me get changed then we can go!”

“You’re gonna get in, you know that right” Kon said looking directly at Tim unwaveringly 

“I mean, it’s a really competitive school and it’s not like I’m as good as a lot of other people” he shrugged rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly 

“Shut up Tim” Kon took his hand and pulled him out of the dance studio they’d rented for Tim to practice in “you’re amazingly talented, you’ve still got a lot to learn but so have I and I’m sure so do all the people who go to that school, now come on smile this is the chance of a lifetime!”

* * *

Tim saw dancer after dancer climb the steps of the stage and dance their soul out. Dancer after dancer go up with hope in their eyes and come down with that hope dying after getting told

”We’ll get back to you” which everybody knew meant “You’ll never hear from us again”

Only one person so far had gotten a different response. A blonde girl, y’all wearing a purple sports bra and matching leggings had climb the stars danced her soul out and gotten told

”We’ll call you” 

She’d climbed down with a smile brighter than a star

“Timothy Drake, you’re up” Bruce Wayne’s voice rung out throughout the room 

“Break a leg Tim you’re gonna do great” Kon whispered

Tim walked up stage, he could see his fingers shaking slightly.

“Okay, Tim” Wayne sat clipboard in hand, Dick Grayson sat beside him relaxed smile gracing his face “Get in position and we’ll start you’re music, remember you have one chance to impress us.”

“Unless you get a callback, then you’ll get another one but only if you impress us now!” Dick chirped up

Tim nodded shakily he got in position.

The music started

_ This is your only chance, you won’t get a second one _

He began to [dance](https://youtu.be/rX-glzzr7aU)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the italics is flashback!  
> Please watch the links! You don’t have to watch them all the way through but the last one at least is important to the story line thx for reading!  
> (For the first link dick is the boy and babs is the girl, in the second one Harley is the girl and ivy is the boy)

_ “Timothy!” Tim heard his mother call from downstairs. He let his book drop to the floor and ran to meet his mother. _

_ “Yes mother?” _

_ “Get ready, we have gotten an invite to see a Gotham Academy of Dance recital, the networking possibilities are endless” _

_ Tim nodded passively “Yes mother” _

* * *

_ Taking his seat in between his parents, Tim took a glance at the program sitting in his lap. The cover displayed the acronym of the school and a boy leaping across the page. The names/dances listed were: Dick Grayson & Barbara Gordon/Unsteady/Contemporary duo/ Selena Kyle choreo; Harleen Quinzel & Pamela Isley/Señorita/duo/ Kate Kane; Jason Todd/ Bruises/ solo/ original choreo. _

_ The lights in the auditorium turned off and a spotlight shined onto the stage. Bruce Wayne walked out to applause, microphone in hand and began with a brief speech. _

_ “Hello everybody thank you for coming, all the students have worked very hard to make this happen and so our first dancers!” He waved his hand out as the dancers ran on stage taking their positions. The girl, Barbara, was smiling but as she got into position she let the smile drop into a serious face. The boy, Dick, did the same thing. And they began to [dance](https://youtu.be/zSgkuqaZJfo). _

* * *

_ Tim smiled wider than he’d ever smiled before once the duo had finished dancing. They bowed once before running off stage and letting the next duo run on. A pair of women with unnaturally coloured ran on getting into position but these two kept their smiles on and didn’t let them fall away like the previous pair did. The music started and they: began to [dance](https://youtu.be/j5D7eOnYuoA). _

_ Tim had never seen people show their feelings without saying anything like this pair did, it was amazing and wonderful and he wished he had his camera to take a picture _

_ The final dancer ran onto stage. A young boy just a couple years older than Tim himself kneeled down in the middle of the stage the spotlight shone down on him. The music played and he began to [dance](https://youtu.be/SqMhX90eKS0). _

_ No this wasn’t dancing it was magic and Tim had never seen anything like this it was art and emotion and he couldn’t understand how anyone could move the way this boy, Jason Todd, did. _

_ The music stopped and the magic ended, Jason bowed with a smile as bright as the sun and ran off. Mr. Wayne patted him on the shoulder as the boy ran past him. _

_ “Thank you everyone for coming there are leaflets in the foyer if you would like more information about the academy and refreshments have been provided. Thank you!”  _

_ Light flooded the auditorium again and Tim stood up quickly turning to his mother and pleading  _

_ “Mother may I have dance lessons please!”  _

_ She glanced at him  _

_ “Not at the academy you have to audition to go here but-“ _

_ “ No”  His father said from behind him _

_ “Father please” he begged _

_ “No, we aren’t wasting money on dance lessons” _

_ “Jack, He needs a hobby school doesn’t engage him and he can’t run around Gotham with a camera. Dance lessons will give him something to do while we’re gone” _

_ Tim’s father grumbled for a moment before sighing  _

_ “Only until he is old enough to work for Drake Industries” _

_ “Of course” His mother placated before shuffling Tim and his father out of the auditorium. _

_ Tim felt lighter than he had ever felt in his entire life. He was going to dance like that boy and he was going to make it his life _

“Timothy, we’ll call you”


	3. Chapter 3

Tim walked through the halls of Gotham Academy of Dance not as a student but for his interview. This meant that he had probably gotten a place but they wanted to speak to him before making it official. That meant that Tim was freaking out because what if he wasn’t good enough to get a place.

* * *

Walking out of Mr. Wayne’s office was the blonde girl from the audition 

“Hi” She smiled waving slightly “Timothy Drake right? I saw you at the interview”

“Yeah, you can call me Tim” he winced sheepishly “Sorry, I can’t remember your name”

“Stephanie Brown, nice to meet you Tim anyway break a leg in there hope to see you in class next month.”

She walked off, blond hair swinging as she did so.

“Timothy Drake” Bruce Wayne’s voice echoed from the slightly open office door “Come on in”

He did so.

* * *

“So Timothy”

“Tim please”

“Tim, You are a phenomenal dancer, not a prodigy by any means but your are good” Wayne said seriously

A smile crawled it’s way onto Tim’s face and he felt a blush rise up to it as well

“Thank you, sir”

“That being said”

Oh no

“You are very... disconnected from your dancing I didn’t get a feel any emotion from your audition dance” Wayne pulled his hands up and let them rest together on the desk “You had all the right technique but no sense of self in that dance”

“Oh.” What was Tim supposed to say to that

“But that technique was perfect and so we’ve decided to give you a temporary place here, year long. You will be assessed on your coursework throughout that year and will have an end of year assessment where you will perform original choreography in a solo or duo dance and I will decide wether or not you will get a permanent position,”

Tim felt conflicted on one hand, he had gotten in! On the other it was temporary and he might not get to stay at his dream school.

“You may leave”

“Thank you sir, for this opportunity I won’t let you down” He stood up shaking Wayne’s hand before backing out of the room

“I hope not” echoed through the door as it closed behind him.

* * *

Tim glanced through a door and saw Stephanie dancing, blonde hair tied up in a loose ponytail.

He could tell she was improvising but it was almost impossible to tell when comparing it to what he had seen at the audition.

He slipped through the door, he was wearing danceable clothes because the email had told him to so he put his hair in a small ponytail and joined in.

Stephanie jumped slightly when she saw him but relaxed and carried on dancing easily

“Hey!” She laughed as he grabbed onto her hand and dipped her “How’d the interview go”

“Temporary place, have to take an exam at the end of the school year to keep it” He lifted her from the dip and she grabbed Tim and span him across the room

“Seriously?”

He spilt leaped out of the spin and slid to the floor

“Yeah, too much technique not enough emotion apparently”

She did three spilt leaps before sliding to the floor next to him and collapsing 

“That sucks”

“Yeah... but I got a place” he shrugged lying down next to her “how’d yours go?”

“Eh, got told that I displayed a staggering amount of emotion through my dance but I needed some refining on my actual y’know dancing” 

“Yeah i get that, point your feet” he laughed at her glare

“Shut upppp”

“Never” he climbed up off the floor and stuck out a hand to help her get up 

As they walked out of the school he nudged her “See you in a month”

“See you in a month”


	4. Chapter 4

Tim clutched the strap of his dance bag as he stared up at his dream come true.

“Earth to Tiiiim” Stephanie called from next to him. Three were only three new students; Tim, Steph and a girl called Cassandra Cain who didn’t speak much and Tim had learnt was actually a ward of Bruce Wayne’s which was why he hadn’t seen her at the exam.

“What?” Tim asked quietly, slightly in awe. Oh who was he kidding he was entirely in awe.

“We have to go in now, we have to meet our teachers, get given lockers etcetera”

Tim nodded and gestured for her to take the lead. 

“So what classes are you two taking?” She asked walking backwards as to properly talk to them.

“Contemporary, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Jazz” Tim listed off, Cass did too a second after him

“Ballet, Tap, Lyrical” 

“Not ballet from you Tim, I’m surprised” Steph cocked her head

“Do I give off ballet vibes”

“Kind of, you said that Bruce said you had too much technique and Ballet is very Technique-y”

“Ah yes Technique-y very eloquent 

“Screw you!” 

Tim just laughed as they walked through the door

“Welcome!” Dick Grayson, THE Dick Grayson called as when they came in

Tim squeaked embarrassingly and hid behind Stephanie 

“Dick” Cass said warmly, though she seemed to do everything warmly

“Hey Cassie! So new students Steph and Tim right?” Dick smiled, graciously ignoring Tim

“Yep! Ignore him he’s a big fan” Steph waved dismissively behind her

Tim brought his hand up and hit her on the shoulder whispering “Shut.Up.”

Dick just laughed 

“Okay so I have your time tables here and if you follow me we’ll get your mentor assignments ready” and he started walking clearly expecting them to follow.

Getting over his fanboy freak out enough to speak Tim asked

“Mentor assignments”

“Yeah we assign a more experienced student to all the new kids for you first year to help you out, direct you stuff like that.” He took a turn “We pick one’s that are taking the same classes you are and since the classes are pretty much age mixed here you’ll be working together in classes”

Steph grinned “cool”

“Yeah, I didn’t get one because I grew up pretty much in this school, but a lot of people end up carrying on dancing with their mentors throughout the rest of their time here” he took another turn and walked through a door into a room with three tables full of papers and dance kit and three other human beings.

“Hello” Bruce Wayne said calmly “I hope Dick didn’t annoy you to death”

Dick gasped dramatically “I would never”

Mr. Wayne smirked before turning back to the three students “Hello, Cass you can grab your stuff and go meet Alfred for Ballet, I believe it starts in 10 minutes”

Cass nodded and grabbed all her stuff and left but not before leaning in for a hug from Dick and Bruce.

“Now, before you two can grab your stuff I’d like to introduce you too your mentors.” He stepped to the side allowing the two other people in the room to be seen clearly and... 

holy shit

Holy shit

Holy shit

Jason Todd stood there, much taller than he had been the last time Tim had seen him and with a bright white streak in his hair. 

Tim squeaked again but this managed to not let himself hide behind Steph.

“Stephanie this is Barbara Gordon, she’ll be your mentor and Tim this is Jason he’ll be yours. Now I have to leave you these two will show you around and help you with whatever you need. Good luck”

He left leaving Tim to the mercy of his childhood hero, Stephanie walked over to her table where Barbara was sitting also abandoning him.

“So Timmy Drake, like Drake Industries?” Tim quickly got over his hero worship to say 

“Tim. Not Timmy. Tim”

“Okay Timmy”

Tim growled

“Was that an actual growl oh my god your like a kitten”

“Shut up”

Jason just laughed “All right kid grab your stuff, I’ll show you your locker and then we have contemporary”

Tim glared but agreed quickly collecting his stuff and stuffing it into his bag

——

“Okay, so first things first welcome to our new student Timothy Drake” the teacher Selina Kyle said gesturing towards where Tim stood next to Jason. He lifted a hand and waved weakly 

“Now because we have a new student we’re going to do a challenge assignment for the next month” the class groaned apparently having done a challenge assignment before and not liking it “oh grow up you’ll do fine! The assignment is you have to do original choreo that both shows a story and emotion through it

And that was when Tim knew he was dead, emotion, emotion he was bad at that. Years of being left alone meant he had always had difficulty showing emotion towards anyone

“So get into pairs and go find and empty studio to practice in. Presentation will be a month today” She flapped her hands at them “go on!”

A boy in a green hoodie went up to Jason clearly wanting to pair up, but before he even opened his mouth Jason stopped him

“Can’t Kyle sorry mentoring”

“Oh shit really but we work so well together” he boy- Kyle whined

“Sorry bro, team up with Donna or another Lantern or something, but shoo me and Timmy have choreo to plan”

The boy laughed but agreed and walked away. Jason turned to him

“So come on I know exactly where to find an empty studio”

He grabbed Tim’s hand and dragged him out the classroom door 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have the perfect dance for their presentation but if you, the reader have any ideas for other character dances you’d like to see tell me  
> Also I’d love to put any of your personal headcanon’s in so TELL ME

**Author's Note:**

> Please watch the videos the dancers are super talented and I worked rlly hard to find a song/dance that suited the moment and characters


End file.
